Encouraging Self-Help Skills in Your Pre-K Student

Encouraging Self-Help Skills in Your Pre-K Student

At around preschool age, or age two, your child should begin exhibiting signs of independence. You can help your child become more confident in his independence, self-reliance, and ability to self-soothe and help himself by enrolling him in a pre-kindergarten program near Pembroke Pines. Here are some other ways that you can encourage self-help skills in your pre-k student: Encouraging Self-Help Skills in Your Pre-K Student

Allow him to dress and groom himself.

The first steps that you can take to encourage your child’s independence are to allow him to dress and groom himself. Let him pick out the clothes that he wants to wear to preschool or pre-kindergarten each day. Encourage him to tie his own shoes and button his shirts and pants. Try to build up to the stage where your preschooler can wash his hands on his own by putting a stepstool in the bathroom or kitchen, and providing an easy-to-use soap dispenser. You can also encourage him to brush his own hair and wash his own face.

Suggest that he clean up his own toys.

Prior to preschool or pre-kindergarten age, your child may have relied on you to clean up after him. By the time he begins preschool at an early childhood learning center, he should know how to clean up his own toys. Throughout his early childhood education, your child will be expected to put away the toys and materials he used during classroom activities. Stay firm at home when your child leaves a mess, and resist the urge to give in and clean it up for him. A huge part of helping your child fully develop independence and self-reliance is encouraging him to learn how to complete basic life skills on his own from a young age.

Prompt dialogue about feelings and needs.

Your child will be better at helping himself and self-soothing if he understands his feelings and knows how to talk about his needs. Don’t shy away from creating a dialogue with your preschool-aged child about how he is feeling, and how he can ease feelings of discomfort, anger, frustration, or sadness.